I used to want material things from my family for the holidays. Now that my kids are teenagers, I just want to spend time with them.

The author now just wants to spend time with her family for the holidays.

Courtesy of Terri Peters

• When my kids were younger, I asked for material gifts as Christmas presents.
• Now that they're teens, I ask for time spent together instead of gifts.
• I've realized I don't need more stuff, I need to soak up my last years with kids living in my home.

When I was pregnant with my first baby, I'd see moms wearing jewelry with their kids' initials or birthstones and dream of the day I'd get my own.